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Car Forum / Antique and Collectibles / Studebaker / August 2005*%$#@! spring shackle bushings!
I've been struggling with removing the old spring bushings from the '63 Wagonaire. After 42 years of damp, the bolts were rusted tight in the sleeves and were a bitch to get out. I finally had to put the impact driver on them to rip the rubber apart between the inner and outer sleeves just to get the shackles off. Then I tried about 6 different things to drive the old 7/8 o.d. outer sleeves out of the rear spring eye and frame. I did try using a socket just smaller than the outer sleeve and a long piece of 7/16 all-thread to try to pull them out, but they just wouldn't budge. [See Chuck Collins site at https://www.studebakerparts.com/studebakerparts/parts/html/pages/shklbush.html.] I even got the MAPP torch out and heated the sleeve in the frame as much as I dared to break the rust loose - didn't work. I wound up carefully hacksawing two slots all the way through the sleeves to get some of the pressure off , removing the little strip between the slots, then used a cold chisel to peel the remains of the sleeves out. I've got the rear of one spring done, still have the front eye and the other spring to do. At least I put Never-Seize on the new ones so the next guy won't have to struggle so hard. The technique on Chuck's web site worked great for pulling the new bushings in, though I can't find any grade 5 or grade 8 all-thread nor any grade 5 or 8 bolts longer than 4 inches. Man, this is slow and painful. Any body else have some high-power tricks to get the stinkin' things out?  SignatureGary Ash Dartmouth MA '48 M5 '63 Wagonaire '65 Wagonaire www.studegarage.com After you get the senters out (which should be a relatively easy process) why not just collapse the outers with a chisel? JT > I've been struggling with removing the old spring bushings from the '63 > Wagonaire. After 42 years of damp, the bolts were rusted tight in the [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > '65 Wagonaire > www.studegarage.com Studebaker had a tool that was used to remove the bushings from the frame and springs, I borrowed one once, (crs syndrome) can't remember from who. But, worked great! Jim Turner Gary, I found the needed all thread @ copperstate bolt and nut company here in phx. here's a link. I used the method shown on Chuck Collins website and it worked slick both for removal and install. Gotta love these southwest cars :-)). http://www.copperstate.com/copperstatecatalog%203.pdf Russ A couple of suggestions: 1. Before attempting to remove the shackle bolt, TIGHTEN the snot out of it. Point is, added force may break the rust bond between bolt and inner sleeve. Tighten enough, and you will bust off the threaded end with the nut, which is usually easier done than backing the nut all the way off over rusty threads. You're going to use new bolts, anyway, right? 2. Use the blue-tip wrench, AKA cutting torch to remove the sleeve. Direct the flame against that part of the sleeve adjacent to the endmost part of the curl in the spring eye, so if you do burn into the spring itself by accident, the damage will be trivial. It's really not all that hard to burn one layer of steel and leave the underlayer untouched. WATCH OUT FOR THE GAS TANK! Best to remove same. Gord Richmond Yes indeed, watch out for that gas tank. I removed mine and that gave me more room to get in to the bushings with a air chisel which knocked the old bushings (what was left) in a few minutes. This was after several days of hammer and hand held chiseling. Broke down and bought an air chisel and done in a few minutes. > A couple of suggestions: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Gord Richmond I drilled them out. Jim in Tulsa > I've been struggling with removing the old spring bushings from the '63 > Wagonaire. After 42 years of damp, the bolts were rusted tight in the [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Man, this is slow and painful. Any body else have some high-power tricks > to get the stinkin' things out? Gary, Once I got the inner bushing and rubber center out by heating with a propane torch (carefully near gas tank). I then used one of those open ended hacksaws (where the end of the blade sticks out about 4 inches) and sawed through the outer steel shell. Once through I curled up one side with a chisel and then used a threaded rod and two sockets to pull out the shell and push in the new. Still a PITA! With my 64 I removed the gas tank and dropped the springs out. To get the bushings out of the frame I used a propane torch and lit them on fire. After they had burned a bit I could push out what was left of the rubber with a screw driver. An air chisel drove out the rest. For the spring eyes I lit them on fire too to get rid of the rubber and then I collapsed them. I then drilled out my frame and installed delrin and I took my springs to the plastic place and had delrin machined for both eyes. All good suggestions! I haven't bought an air chisel in spite of having way too many tools, but I think I'll go get one. The gas tank and even the filler neck are out of the car, so the flame wrench isn't too much of a hazard. And, since the bottom 4-6 inches of the rear quarters behind the wheel wells were rotted away, I cut even higher up to get to solid sheet metal. That makes access to the shackles and frame bushing a lot easier. See http://www.studegarage.com/IMAGES/63wagon/rearqtr_shackle1s.jpg I've got to make patches for the rear quarters anyway since I haven't been able to convince Lamont at Classic Enterprises to reproduce them. Rear quarter panels for Wagonaires are getting scarce and expensive, and it's major surgery to put them in. I do see why I paid so much money to have someone else do the bushings on the other Wagonaire when I got it. Thanks for the help! SignatureGary Ash Dartmouth MA '48 M5 '63 Wagonaire '65 Wagonaire www.studegarage.com |
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